Finally, Thursday arrived and we were getting ready to wrap up the show.

The team left the house once again in separate groups. The media passes pick-up was first on the line for Reid, Charlotte-Anne and I. At the same time Sandra and Ariel were planning to soak up the downtown Denver atmosphere. Once the passes were in our hands we headed to Willy G’s restaurant on 16^th Street for lunch, where the rest of the group caught up with us. Souvenir shopping was next. 

It seemed the time was passing slowly, but it was after 2 p.m. when we leisurely started making our way to the Invesco Field. Back then, we were certain that our press credentials would get us into the arena quickly and painlessly, but this hope diminished once we arrived outside the perimeter of the field. 

The line we saw was endless, it appeared to be several miles long, and to our surprise, a police officer politely advised us that regardless of who we were and what we did, the line was there for everyone to follow. 

Fair enough we thought, but we were determined to find a way and get inside quicker than everyone, so Reid flagged a rickshaw for an off-road drive directly into the Invesco security area. The rest of us were still under the hot sun, following the crowd in an orderly fashion. 

Nearly two hours later, when all we could think of was “water,” we were slowly approaching the main entrance. Nearby, a loudspeaker blared “The Long and Winding Road,” by the Beatles, and we still couldn’t get a good telephone connection with Reid or find a shorter way in. 

Finally, the road came to an end, we found Reid and all seem to fit into place, but not for long. Charlotte-Anne needed a media space with Internet connection, the rest of the group needed decent seats with a generous view so we can take pictures and stream live video for our audience. 

First thing is first, the internet connection hunt turned out into a hop-on-hop-off the elevator game. The press area at the top of Invesco was packed and we were running out of time. Reid, Ariel, Sandra and I decided to part with Charlotte-Anne in order to find some seats for the big show and we did, but not for long. It turned out that our parade was rained on because we got comfortable in a VIP section with no VIP tickets… and we thought it was over!  

We found a refuge out on the ramp where the group enjoyed some ice cream, but we had to come up with another plan of action. At this point Reid decided to give up and left for downtown, Ariel chose to take her chance with the worst and only seats available, Sandra and I on the other hand stayed where we were. 

We got lucky, the guard in the VIP section agreed to let us use the bottom of the stairs for a few minutes when a speaker came on the stage. When Al Gore began his speech our worries were over, the bottom of the VIP stairs became the central photo shoot location for both security guards and us, the young media members. 

The rest was a roller coaster of excitement and pride to be present in the making of history; the crowd, the flags, the uproar, the presidential candidate Barack Obama’s acceptance speech and finally the fireworks. 

When it was all over we made our way back in town and back at Willy G’s for a well deserved dinner and a drink. Our mission was complete – we, four UNLV journalism students, brought news to our East Paradise audience, from one of the most extravagant events of the year, the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

On Wednesday morning when we all got ready to go to the Democratic National Convention, we knew our plan was in place; shoot stories, talk to Commissioner Chris Giunchigliani and cover anything that happens along the way.

Of course plans hardly ever work the way we want them to, especially in the dynamic setting of a national convention. And if on the first day here the issue was audio, the issue Wednesday was time. Here is how it all started… 

We all took the bus from the Broomfield park-n-ride to Denver. Sandra and Ariel had their own work to do at the DNC headquarters, the Pepsi Center.  Reid and I were supposed to meet Commissioner Giunchigliani as soon as possible at Sunset Tower. She and other Nevada delegates were scheduled to play bingo with some senior citizens, not for fun or because she may have missed Las Vegas, but because it was part of the delegates’ community service day. At the same time our teacher Charlotte-Anne was on her way to pick up our credentials for the day from a downtown hotel. 

It all took a 180-degree turn when we got stuck in traffic because of an accident. The delay meant that Reid had to literally run half a mile to go get our credential, while Charlotte-Anne and I raced to catch Commissioner Giunchigliani, possibly some of the other Nevada delegates, at the bingo session. Reid got the credentials, but we arrived too late to catch the bingo game. The Nevada delegation had already left for the Pepsi Center. 

Luckily, when the three of us eventually met again on 16^th Street we had already come up with another plan; grab a quick lunch and head to The Big Tent, where folks from the blogosphere were reporting/blogging about the convention. 

The tent was one of the hottest places on Earth, or as Reid described it a “sauna,” but we were able to see the folks from Google, Digg, Daily Kos and other leading web publishers, who worked hard to provide their audience with coverage form the political extravaganza in town. 

While we were there we met Shaun O’Mac from BlogTalkRadio, whom we actually met at Denver International Airport prior to the convention. What a coincidence! He was very kind to us and allowed us to interview him while he interviewed us for his radio show. 

After the short stop at The Big Tent we continued our way to the Pepsi Center and media tent No. 2, where we were able to relax and cool off before bringing some live stream video to our audience. 

This time we were aiming at some live streams from the media headquarters in order to convey how journalists spend their time covering the events. We visited the media lounge, or break room, located inside the tent as well as a Japanese media group. 

Soon enough, a Twitter signaled that thousands of anti-war protesters were heading our way, so Reid and I ran out the door with our cameras and  phones in hand. Police vehicles and officers were starting to multiply quickly around the designated protest area. 

The excitement that we would be covering police and riots took over, but to our disappointment it appeared that beyond a couple of people openly claiming it is best to make love and not war, nothing happened. The lead protesters seemed to have gotten tired of marching down the Denver streets and they refused to enter the protest area, which in a way sounded almost like a protest within the protest.  

When Reid and I arrived back in the media tent, Sandra and Ariel were finishing up the editing of their stories and we were about to pack up and leave for the day. It was time to get back to the house and process all the information we have absorbed, and despite the lengthy bus trip (our driver got lost) we had great fun and looked forward to the next day.

Day two arrived a little too soon for us, but we were excited and looked forward to exploring Denver and capturing the city atmosphere, the streets, the people, and the emotions on our video cell phones.

Our goal was to capture more stories about the local residents and their feelings about Denver as a host of one of the most extravagant events this year, the 2008 Democratic National Convention.

The War in Iraq and abortion rights were the main focus of protesters along 16th Street in downtown Denver. Some women were drawing slogans with chalk on the sidewalk and arguing with opponents. Others, dressed in pink, were shouting “stop the war,” while police, media and the rest of the crowd were trying to fit in the picture.

As we walked further down the street we moved from anti-war and pro-life protests to some more unusual slogans such as “Impeach Cheney,” and “Stop Bird Porn,” with the latter of the two claiming democrats should stop bird-watching in order to allow birds populate freely. “What was that all about?” became one of the most frequent comments made by passers by.

The experience was so real, yet so bizarre; even the police horses seemed puzzled or perhaps uncomfortable while wearing special eye protection.

After streaming live video on several occasions, Reid and I realized that we have been able to resolve the audio issues with the Nokia phones. It was time to move on and bring some fresh information to our audience.

We continued down 16th Street hoping we would also be able to locate one of the 1,000 free bikes, which were supposed to be available during the convention for anyone to obtain, ride and leave behind when done. What we saw in town however were mostly locked up bikes and our quest turned out to be unsuccessful. In reality if we wanted to pursue a bike we had to walk another few blocks and pick it up at a special bike station, which at this point did not seem to be so important anymore.

At this time our trek to the Pepsi Center continued and we encountered more interesting moments along the way.

Reid conducted an interview with a solar power company which had set up their booth a couple of miles away from the protesters and shortly after he moved straight on to more environmental issues, such as the air quality… well at least the one in his room.

He stopped by a street vendor to purchase Barack Obama incense, available at 20 sticks for $2, which we agreed had the peculiar smell of Coca Cola.

We finally entered the convention perimeter sometime after 4 p.m. and headed straight to the media tent to catch up with Ariel and Sandra, the rest of the A Team.

The afternoon slowed down at this point, but in the media world there is never a dull moment. Our professor, Charlotte-Anne, Reid and I all headed to the media lounge to find some cold water. As we leaned on one of the tables for a moment of rest, a conversation with two unknown men began to evolve and turned into a rather interesting video interview. The men were African American journalists from Dallas and Atlanta who had a lively discussion about the role of media and race in the Obama campaign.

The afternoon ended inside media tent number two, where we were finally able to sit down and do some work to share with the people of East Paradise.

Check out our video here

Monday, a 6 a.m. wake up call set beginning of a big adventure for four UNLV journalism students; Reid Geary, Ariel Gove, Sandra Hernandez, and me, Denitsa Yotova, also known as the A Team.

We left our living quarters at 8:30 a.m. and took a public bus to Market Street in downtown Denver.
As soon as we reached our destination the four of us marched down to the first of three security checkpoints. Its location was so far out from the Pepsi Center, the heart of the convention, we could not even see it.

Oh well, all of this was expected.

Yet there we were, four UNLV students sweating from the hot Denver sun and the pressure of the heavy equipment on our backs, walking side by side with hundreds of media representatives to our very first national convention.

We did not waste a minute, and went straight inside the arena of the Pepsi Center where we saw many media celebrities such as CNN’s Wolf Blitzer and CBS’ Katie Couric, and were lucky to hear the five-time Grammy award winner John Legend sing live in rehearsal.

At this point we split up into two teams with two different goals: Ariel and Sandra recording broadcast quality stories and Reid and I streaming live video from cell phones on the run.

This was just the beginning of a long, but amazing day. Reid and I made our first attempt to connect with our audience and share our experience via live streaming video thanks to Nokia’s new cell phone, the N95.

At first it sounded easy enough; press the button and start streaming video. For the most part, when we were simply narrating the story with the phone, it all went well, but we ended up having a handful of sound issues when using external microphones during actual interviews.

While trying to be as professional as possible in the eyes of the people we were interviewing, behind the camera one of us was always pulling on cables and trying to make those microphones do their job so the audience on the other end could hear the conversation.

Needless to say, we tried our hardest, but we ended up learning a few lessons; carry extra batteries, do a sound check before streaming live at any time, ensure no cables are loose, and of course, turn the device on.

Yet the most important point was that regardless of the fact the N95 is not a film camera, it had similar functions to it and therefore we needed to treat it like one at all times.

With all of this excitement, our first day at the convention came to an end pretty quickly and despite the technical difficulties we experienced, we will continue to work on improving the quality of this brand new form of journalism so we can live up to our audience’s expectations in the upcoming days.

While the Internet is rapidly taking over people’s lives, media and advertisement giants are wondering “When will we take mobile seriously?”.

This prominent topic was discussed at the Editor & Publisher and Mediaweek Interactive Media Conference and Trade Show in Las Vegas on Wednesday, where experts, who are not afraid to take a plunge into the future, shed some light on the issues and progress of the medium making its way through time.

Brian Colbert, ESPN Director of Mobile Advertising Sales, Alice Kim, Senior Vice President of MTV Networks Digital Distributions and Partner Relations, and Rama Sadasivan, Business Development Director at the Wall Street Journal Digital Network shared their experiences and expertise as mobile players.  They also talked about media’s position today and the inevitable importance of the mobile web tomorrow .

Mike Shields, Senior Editor of Mediaweek and moderator for the conference panel, opened the discussion with the question many may have already been asking for some time now, “What is holding up the industry?”

Kim elaborated on the fact that because of certain technical issues with some mobile carriers, many are still uncertain about the technology and its application. Yet although mobile is slowly taking over, there is still scepticism which is slowing down the convergence process, according to Kim.

“Mobile technology is a different experience than the net,” said Kim, “it’s about content providers embracing mobile media.”

As she explained further, mobile content must be created much differently then content for the web and it should more specifically be focusing on the devices and their functionality.

Kim also discussed that it was iPhone that started the transformation process for many.

“It has changed the dynamic of the field and has created awareness,” said Kim. “Content providers need to start taking the risk and create content for mobile,” she added.

As Kim elaborated further, the expenses of running free content for users are paid by advertisers who want their ads to run along with videos and messages.

Colbert added that ESPN is in the process of measuring mobile usage in order to provide advertisers with relevant information and enable them to target the appropriate markets.

Although Colbert admitted that ESPN has not done the best job promoting mobile on air, he noted its importance.

“From a sports stand point, mobile is huge,” said Colbert,” It’s about the immediacy of the events.”

He further noted that ESPN is in the process of launching the popular SportsCenter program into a compressed 10-minute-top-news version on mobile, which will enable consumers to get the most important updates from the day on the spot and on the go.

On the other hand, as Kim discussed MTV Networks practices, she said in several occasions content which was created specifically for mobile has actually migrated on air as a result of its popularity.

“It’s about testing,” said Kim. “Test on mobile and then move to a larger platform on air.” 

Mobile is about time, convenience and portability. Traffic is directed to consumers and with new mobile devices offering live streaming video, like some of Nokia’s newest products, mobile will enable consumers to become more involved, to interact easier and to create their own content and mash-ups, according to Kim.

Mobile today and tomorrow is about committing some serious citizen journalism.

The Clark County Library on 1401 E. Flamingo Road in the UNLV neighborhood, offers a glimpse of this rich culture with the live music performance of the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko. Their concert “The Sound of Thunder” will be held at 2 p.m.on May 11, at the library theater.

According to the library website,

“Taiko was brought to the United States by Japanese immigrants in the early 20th century. However, it took the late George Goto to bring this unique music form to Las Vegas in 1993 when he formed Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko. This exciting Southern Nevada taiko troupe is composed of uchite (taiko drummers) who have a deep respect for this ancient art form. They have dedicated many hours learning and sharing this knowledge. Join us for a special concert of music and performance as we celebrate Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko’s 15 years of performing in Las Vegas.”

The Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko website provides history about the instrument, as wells as detailed information about its use and influence for many centuries now.

For those who want to get involved with the ancient performance art a little further, the organization also offers classes and opportunities to become part of the troupe after auditioning.

 As noted on the organization website,

“We hold practice every Tuesday and Sunday at a dojo located in Southern Las Vegas’ developing Chinatown. Our dojo is open from: 6:00pm to 9:00pm on Tuesdays (Open Practice Session) & 12 noon to 5:30pm. on Sundays (Formal Practice Session). We are located at: 4030 Schiff Dr.Las Vegas, NV 89103.“

For more information about the Las Vegas Kaminari Taiko, visit http://www.lvkaminaritaiko.org/aboutus.htm.

For detailed schedule of upcoming events in the Clark County Library visit http://www.lvccld.org/events/search_result.cfm?nForm=1&nEvnttp=0&nLbr=1&sKwrd=

(Pdphoto.org)

These days 99¢ Only Stores are popping like wild mushrooms after a spring rain. They offer a wide variety of products and one can pick up the family dinner for as low as a fews dollars. One of these stores is also located right here, in the UNLV neighborhood.

According to the 99¢ Only Stores website, as of Jan. 31, 2008, there are over 262 stores located in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas.

The retailer’s mission is,

“…to provide an exciting primary shopping destination for price-sensitive consumers, and a fun treasure-hunt shopping experience for other value conscious consumers. We are driven to accomplish this mission with a core strategy to offer only excellent values on a wide selection of quality food and basic household items with a focus on name brands and an exciting assortment of surprises, all for 99¢ or less!

 Merchandise encompasses a wide array of name-brand closeout and regularly available consumable products including food and beverages such as: produce, deli, and other basic grocery items, health and beauty care, and household supplies.” (99only.com)

The first store opened in 1982 and since then, the chain has expanded to over 250 stores with majority of them in California. Currently there are 11 in the state of Nevada.

“The stores that were open for a full year averaged 22,000 square feet and generated average net sales per estimated sellable square foot of $250 and average net sales per store of 4.3 million. For fiscal 2006, total sales were over $1 billion.” (99only.com)

In the year of the retailer’s 25th anniversary and in the midst of the country’s rising food prices, the 99¢ Only Stores still offer products for less than a dollar.

The chain has a cook book and has also been promoted on national television programs such as  CNN, Good Morning America and The Tyra Banks Show. Currently, according to the 99¢ Only Stores  website, the retailer also offers iPod nano for 99 cents to the first nine customers who visit the grand openings of its new stores, the next 99 customers can purchase a scooter for the same amount.

The 99¢ Only Stores branch in the UNLV community is located on 1325 E. Flamingo Road.

For more information, promotions, store openings and locations visit http://www.99only.com/index.htm.

For cook book details and recipes visit http://the99centonlystorecookbook.com/.

Clarification/Correction: The iPod nano offered to the first nine customers during upcoming store openings is for the price of 99 cents.

(Pdphoto.org)

When life gets dull and grey, everyone needs a little getaway.

The amusement park is one of those places where people can escape the mundane reality, where both children and adults can blend together and become story characters with equal powers. Most importantly, it is the place where thrill-seekers can find exciting roller coasters and rides.

As Learner.org explains,

“For many people, there is only one reason to go to an amusement park: the roller coaster. Some people call it the “scream machine,” with good reason. The history of this ride reflects a constant search for greater and more death-defying thrills. “

While most people rarely think about the science and fantasy efforts behind the creation of all those fun rides, for the curious geeks and those who are interested in exploring the magical process, there is a solution.

The Amusement Park Science exhibit begining today at the Atomic Testing Museum in the UNLV neighborhood, offers a vast array of information and activities.

The doors open at 10 a.m. and as noted on the museum website, “families and kids of all ages will enjoy the ‘physics behind the fun’ when they experience this new exhibit.”

Some of the highlights include “wild rides video kiosk, bump-o-ramma, wacky waves, bumper blaster, create-a -coaster, k’nex activity area, wild wheels road block, momentum machine” and much more.

It sounds like fun, but how did roller coasters really came to be?

“In the 1600s in Russia, the forerunners of present-day roller coasters were huge blocks of ice that were fashioned into sleds, with straw or fur on the icy seat for passenger comfort. Sand was used to help slow down the sled at the end of the ride to keep it from crashing, a technique based on the principle of friction. Later, more elaborate wooden sleds were built with iron runners to increase the speed and intensity of the ride.

The first American coasters
America’s amusement park history begins on Coney Island in 1875. Railway companies, in search of ways to keep passenger usage up on the weekends, set up parks here at the end of the rail lines and introduced weekend and summer activities. The first rides at these parks were carousels, but in 1884, the first gravity switchback train was introduced. This was the first true roller coaster in America…

A new era for roller coaster design
In 1955, the nation’s first theme park opened: Disneyland. Not only did Disneyland usher in a new era for amusement parks, it also helped bring about some radical changes in roller coaster design. Up until this time, coasters were built out of wood, which limited the way loops could be handled. In 1959 Disney introduced the Matterhorn, the first tubular steel coaster. The exciting features we expect from today’s coasters–loops, a corkscrew track, and stability–can be traced back to this first steel coaster…

 How do roller coasters work?

“What you may not realize as you’re cruising down the track at 60 miles an hour is that the coaster has no engine. The car is pulled to the top of the first hill at the beginning of the ride, but after that the coaster must complete the ride on its own. You aren’t being propelled around the track by a motor or pulled by a hitch. The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy is what drives the roller coaster, and all of the kinetic energy you need for the ride is present once the coaster descends the first hill..

Once you’re underway, different types of wheels help keep the ride smooth. Running wheels guide the coaster on the track. Friction wheels control lateral motion (movement to either side of the track). A final set of wheels keeps the coaster on the track even if it’s inverted. Compressed air brakes stop the car as the ride ends. ” (Learner.org)

The Amusement Park Science exhibit will be housed at the Atomic Testing Museum until July 16, 2008. The museum is located on 755 E. Flamingo Road

For more information, ticket prices and hours of operation, visit http://www.atomictestingmuseum.org/index.htm. 

For more information about roller coasters, visit http://www.learner.org/interactives/parkphysics/coaster.html.

According to City-Data.com the foreign-born population for the UNLV neighborhood, zip code 89119, in 2001 was 14,386, or 29.5 percent of the 48,693 living in the area. At the same time the statewide figure was only 15.8 percent.  

This zip code:	29.5%
Whole state:	15.8%

City-Data.com

The district commissioner Chris Giunchigliani said that one reason behind the migration to the area is that it still has affordability. 

“Also, there may be family members already in the area and that attracts other family members to live nearby,” said Giunchigliani. “Finally, there is some form of transportation compared to other parts of town for folks without cars.”

Giunchigliani views the community as “wonderfully diverse, but also needy.”

“Out of town owners and rental properties haven’t been kept up which creates a ‘worn-out’ look,” she said.

However Giunchigliani added that she is currently working on setting up pride zones to help neighbors to get to know neighbors regardless of their cultural background.

“It will be a community in transition depending on economical downturn and length of the job losses,” she said.

Ardyth Broadrick Sohn, professor and director of the UNLV Hank Greenspun School of Journalism and Media Studies, also fears for the problems many face.

“I know many have immigration questions, but no time or ability to seek good information that might be available to them at UNLV,” said Sohn. “My hope is that we can begin systematically and collectively to reach out and truly make UNLV part of the neighborhood. Many faculty, students and staff just drive into and out of the neighborhood to work and class. We need to begin to see this as our community…because it really is,” she added.

Today, there are many immigrants who live and work in the UNLV neighborhood, making one of the oldest Las Vegas areas a melting pot of the world.

While some choose this particular location because of its proximity to the healthy job market of the Las Vegas strip, there are others who have somewhat different reasons behind being part of the community.

Danny’s story in his own words.

Danny Aghadjanian, 42-year-old Armenian for example, manages the Mediterranean and Eastern European food store, L.A. Price Market, located on 4972 S. Maryland Parkway.

He came to the United States in 1989 along with his family. They lived in California for 10 years before moving to Las Vegas. Aghadjanian and his brother owned a grocery store in Los Angeles, but decided to move from the big city because of competition.

“We have a friend here (in Las Vegas) and we saw it was easy and less expensive,” said Aghadjanian. “We decided to come and open another store with my family,” he added.

Despite the fact that his business is now expanding and his family is prospering, Aghadjanian still misses his native country and childhood friends. Yet at the same time he is happy to be in the United States and feels welcome in the country.

“I like it here because of the freedom and the opportunity to grow,” said Aghadjanian. “I have young kids and they can go to school here, they can get wherever they want to get.”

Aghadjanian does not recall having had major obstacles since his arrival in America. His goal however is to keep his family happy and together. He considers this to be the biggest challenge in his life.

“It doesn’t matter where you stay, America or elsewhere, the main thing for me is my family,” he said.

There are many others like Aghadjanian who have come to the United States seeking freedom and opportunity for growth.

Erika Solis, 35, had left her home town of Vera Cruz, Mexico and had come to the United States in 1990 along with her cousin.

Similarly to Aghadjanian, she first lived in California where she met her husband.  They moved to Las Vegas in 1999 and she now works for an apartment complex in the UNLV neighborhood.

“The hardest thing was coming here without my parents,” said Solis. “I had to work, to go to school. Sometimes around 9 or 10 o’clock at night I go home with no car, no bicycle and have to walk alone at night time.”

Although Solis misses her family and friends whom she left behind more than 15 years ago, she admits that she has always felt welcome in the country.

“It is important how you treat the people,” said Solis. “Even if they are black or white, from Hawaii or from any state, I treat everybody the same way,” she added.

Her goal is to stay in the country as long as possible in order to provide an opportunity for her children to obtain good education and a better future.

“I think the reason we are here is because we have something in mind, we were not happy at the place we were born,” said Solis. “Sometimes you get married here; you make your own family…Immigrants are not coming here to take somebody’s job or to hurt somebody. I think people are here for one reason, everybody wants to make money, wants to make a better future.” she added.

Giunchigliani feels that Americans often fail to consider the fact that people from foreign countries come to seek a better life and that they are not necessarily illegal. 

“We have a cultural clash. Many of our older, long term Nevadans are scared and angry about the changes from language to advertising. Some folks think just because you don’t speak English you are undocumented and that isn’t true,” said Giunchigliani. “I came from Chicago where we had enclaves of immigrants that never learned English, from Italians, to Greeks, etc. But overall most people want everyone to live and prosper,” she added.

Despite how some people feel about the immigrants in the UNLV community, the colorful atmosphere and cultural variety strike curiosity and appreciation in many others.

Giunchigliani said she has always lived on the east side because of the variety of cultures and neighborhood feeling.

Sohn, on the other hand, finds the neighborhood to also be a “great untapped resource for journalism students who want to better understand a global perspective.” She recalls her experiences and conversations with foreigners to have been “fascinating.”

“… I talked with students from Serbia and Ukraineabout unrest in their countries and we exchange political news as we receive it,” said Sohn. “To have the opportunity to discuss current events with very informed and committed citizens of other countries is a marvelous situation to me,” she added.